204 MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



mine for himself, can be practiced with the most happy effects. 

 In this lies a very important item in the science of farming. 

 Let the farmer take all things into consideration and then ask 

 himself each season, what will this or that field bear to the best, 

 advantage this year ? A discerning mind will easily determine 

 this, and he will thereby accomplish for himself and for his 

 farm what a far more expensive treatment would not secure. 

 Another important item is in seeding down or turning to green- 

 sward those fields which begin to be weary of the plough, A few 

 years rest from constant tillage will produce the most surprising 

 results, and if it were necessary an explanation could be given. 

 Land too long exposed to the sun and to the immediate action 

 of the atmosphere, will lose some of the most essential ele- 

 ments of productiveness. Hence, give it a covering of green- 

 sward for a few years and these elements are restored. But 

 care should be taken that it lie not too long, otherwise this 

 result is in a measure defeated by its being matted with too 

 heavy a turf. 



Such fields cry mightily for the plough, and you cannot do 

 better than turn them back to tillage. Another important 

 result secured by seeding down tillage is to obtain thereby a heavy 

 bed of grass roots which, turned up by the plough, will prove of 

 more value to the soil than a coat of manure. Thus it will be 

 found that a wise and judicious rotation of crops will not only 

 secure a very essential economy in the science of farming, by 

 bringing into use all of the productive elements of the soil, but 

 it will also be found to actually enrich the soil, and accomplish 

 certain things and secure certain conditions of soil which manure 

 will fail to accomplish. 



Li view of these statements, however imperfectly they may 

 have been made or however imperfectly the subject may have 

 been treated, your committee have one consolation, that tlicir 

 conclusions are founded not on theory, but in fact. Tliey are 

 the observations of practical farmers. The statements for premi- 

 ums are here given. We would call particular attention to that 

 of Mr. Smith, of Sunderland, on liquid manure, (p. 199,) and wish 

 every farmer would profit by it. We were disposed to give him 

 the first premium, but on looking at the rules of the society, we 

 find he nuist continue his experiments another year. We, how- 

 ever, as an encouragement, venture to recommend a gratuity of 



